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Unit 3: You are special

Day Ten: The Dating Game

Objective

Students from all levels will work together in the target language to create a video program based on the commercial television program "The Dating Game."

Setting the Stage (50 minutes)

Students in the classes that will participate in this production view a video of the previous year's Dating Game show.

All students in the target language program are given permission slips, to be signed by their teacher of the class period when the performance will take place, for release to attend the Dating Game show. Level 1 students and all Level 2, 3, and 4 who are not selected to be in the show are "audience." The teacher-signed slip is the student's ticket to the show. No student without this signed permission slip may attend. He/she must return to the scheduled class.

Additional preparation

- Teacher reserves the school auditorium for one class period.
- Teacher goes to local movie theaters and restaurants to get "donations" of complimentary passes to movies and complimentary dinner or Sunday brunch for the two winning "couples." Usually, a letter of introduction from the school principal will convince the businesses to contribute to this student project.
- Teacher invites a school newspaper reporter to participate and to take photos for the school newspaper.
That student will also require a release permission slip.
- Teacher selects a student volunteer to videotape the show.

Guided Practice and Independent Practice (several class sessions)

Level-Two students prepare commercials. They work in groups of 3 to 5. They must provide visuals (products) and must memorize their lines. Allow for about 4 one-minute commercials, one at beginning of show, two between each panel, and one before the end of show, before the final "Good-bye." The best commercials will participate in the final show. The classes choose which 4 are the best. Encourage costumes.

Select Level-Three students as "star" players. Plan for 2 male and 2 female "star" players. All students prepare 10 questions to be asked of the panel of 3 Level-Four students of the opposite sex. These questions are geared to choosing a "date" from the panel of 3 contestants after asking all their questions. All Level-Three students prepare questions. The classes choose the best 2 males and best 2 females to participate in the show.

Level-Four students are "contestant" members of the panel, answering all questions posed by the "star." 3 male contestants for each female "star" and 3 female contestants for each male "star." Plan for two sets of panels. All Level-Four students participate in "rehearsals" in their classrooms and the best 12 are chosen.

Two Level-Four or AP students are master or mistress of ceremonies.
They introduce the "star" players, they moderate and they award the prizes.
They introduce the panelists as "Contestant #1, Contestant #2 and Contestant #3.
They moderate the show. They announce and introduce the commercials.
They close the show by calling all the contestants and stars back up on the stage to wave a big kiss "good-bye" to the audience and to yell out "Good-bye from the Dating Game." Interested Level-Four students will audition or "try-out" in front of their classmates. The classmates will choose the best two.

On the assigned day, students perform the entire show in the target language. The student volunteer videotapes the show.

Evaluation

No formal evaluation is necessary. Students are awarded points for their participation: audience, commercials, stars, contestants, master/mistress of ceremonies and videographer